Former Colorado football coach Bill McCartney on Tuesday blasted university officials for firing Jon Embree after two seasons at the school.

McCartney, who coached Embree in the 1980s and helped get Embree hired at Colorado, told The Denver Post the firing was “unfair and unjust” and “had no integrity to it.”

“For people to evaluate what he’s done so far and be critical about it is so unfair,” McCartney said. “You’ve got to be blind. You’ve got to be stupid to think that this is a reflection on his coaching. It’s not.”

Bohn fired Embree on Sunday after a two-year record of 4-21, including 1-11 this year, a school record for losses. McCartney, who coached Colorado to its lone national title in 1990, said Embree inherited a roster too inexperienced to compete in the Pac-12.

“It was bankrupt,” McCartney said. “If he had quality players who were older guys, he would’ve played them. The younger guys were better and had more potential but weren’t ready.”

McCartney chastised Bohn for firing Embree instead of letting him make changes on the staff and giving him more time, as he got. McCartney won just seven games in his first three years, from 1982-84, then went on to become the winningest coach in school history.

“I made several changes,” McCartney said. “Keep in mind when you’re an assistant coach and you haven’t had a staff and put one together, it’s an imperfect science. They hired him in the middle of December. He’s got to move with his staff. He hired guys on first blush.

“How can you call yourself an athletic director when you don’t understand these things and you just abruptly change positions? How can you say you’re a school of integrity when you don’t keep your promises?”

Earlier, McCartney went on ESPN 102.3 FM and read a prepared letter to the Colorado administration and CU fans which castigated the move. After he read the letter, McCartney said the school did not give Embree, who is black, as much opportunity to succeed as they would have given a white coach. McCartney said he knows why he was given more than two years to work through losing seasons at CU.

“Honestly, I believe it’s because I’m Caucasian. I believe black men have less opportunity, shorter time if you will,” McCartney said. “It’s just like, Dan Hawkins got five full years. Why not give Jon Embree five years? You signed him to a five-year contract.

“Men of color have a more difficult road to tread. It didn’t happen to me. Why should it happen to a black man?”

McCartney also criticized university chancellor Phil DiStefano.

“I heard the chancellor said it didn’t matter what color Jon was. I think that offends every person of color out there,” McCartney said. “This guy can match wits with any white guy out there. He’s the real deal.”

During Monday’s news conference to announce the firing, DiStefano said, “We didn’t hire Jon because he’s an African-American, and we didn’t fire Jon because he is an African-American.”

In his letter, McCartney called for CU fans to rally and tell the administration they made a mistake and to bring back Embree.

“Men and women of Colorado, don’t let this happen. It’s wrong. Please stand up and be counted.”

McCartney also said CU, because it fired Embree, will have a more difficult time recruiting black players, no matter who the new coach is.

“You can’t go get the black athlete, not after you completely compromised your integrity with this guy (Embree),” he said.

Before Embree was hired, McCartney interviewed for the head coaching position and offered to take the brunt of the lean years that he knew CU had coming, then turn the program over to Embree or another coach.

“The reason I offered to coach there was I could see this coming,” McCartney said. “I interviewed with that statement. They weren’t interested.”

John Henderson: 303-954-1299 or jhenderson@denvepost.com or twitter.con/johnhendersonDP.

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